Incubator-alarm.



A. R. CUX.

INCUBATOR ALARM.

APPUCATION FILED SEPT.24, m5.

1 06,297 "Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

10 D 4 a x 71 if j Z 4&2 Z5 5 5 2 W 7 wltnesses inventor M by @XWQMQJL WALVIA R. COX, 0F ADA, GXLAHOMA.

INCUBATOR-ALARM.

Application filed fieptember 2 1, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Ali-VIA E. Cox, a citizenof the United States, residing at Ada, in the county of Pontotoc andState of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Incubator-Alarn'i, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention is an incubator alarm, and aims to provide anattachment for incubators which is operable to give an alarm signal whenthe temperature of the incubator rises and lowers to an abnormal ordangerous degree.

It is the object of the invention to pro vide an incubator alarm havingnovel means for controlling an electrical circuit having a hell or othersignal interposed therein, whereby the circuit will be closed upon anabnormal change in temperature of the incubator, so that the attendantcan look after the incubator, especially if the signal is continued,which would indicate a continuation of the abnormal temperature.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a device of thenature indicated which may be readily attached to various incubators,and which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, aswell as being practical and eiiicient in use.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a tragmental view of an incubator illustrating thethermostat and parts operated thereby and also illustrating theattachment applied to the incubator. Fig. 2 is an enlarged verticalsection of the attachment, parts being broken away, parts beingillustrated in elevation, and the electrical circuit being illustrateddiagrammatt cally. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the device taken onthe line 33 of Fig. .2. Fig. t is ele ation of the device, .iens

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Serial No. 52,448.

ing broken away. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 2.

The incubator illustrated which may be taken. as typical, comprises acasing 1 which is heated by a suitable heater 2, the amount of heatsupplied to the interior of the casing 1 eing controlled by a damper 3carried by a lever t which lever is connected by a link or red 5 to thewafer thermostat 6 mounted within the casing 1.

Tie present attachment embodies a tubular casing 7 adapted to be set onend on the top of the casing 1 adjacent the rod 5, and having a pair ofdiametrically opposite longitudinal or vertical slots 8. A. cap 9 isthreaded upon the upper end of the casing 7, and the lower end of thecasing has a base or outturned flange 10 secured by means of screws orin any other suitable manner upon the top of the casing 1.

In applying the attachment to the incubator, a tubular bushing 11 isslipped downwardly through a bore 12 drilled in the top of the casing,the upper end of the bushing or sleeve 12 having an outturned flange 1tseating upon or embedded within the upper surface of the casing tosupport the bushing. The casing 7 is secured upon the incubator casingover the bushing 12, which also serves to hold said bushing in place.

A vertical slidable rod or spindle 13 is slidable through the bushing 11and through the apertures 15 and 16 formed in the lower .end or bottomof: the casing 7 and in the cap said strips or arms have curved portionsaria o embracing the casing at the upper and lower ends of the slots 8,said portions 2% extending through arcs of over 180 degrees so as tohold their places upon the casing 7. The portions 2% can readily beslipped onto the 7 before the 9 is applied, and the 1 portions 2% have acontractive tension so to tightly embrace the casing 7. The upper andlower ends of the plate 22 are secured to the arms 23 by means of bolts26 engaged through said plate and arms, and having nuts 27 threadedthereon. Insulating washers 28 are disposed between the nuts 27 and thearms 23, and insulating washers 29 are dispcsed upon the bolts 26between the plate 22 and arms 23, whereby the plate 22 is insulated fromthe arms 23 and casing 7.

A vertical guide 30 is disposed adjacent that side of the plate 22opposite the arms 23 and is parallel with and spaced from the plate 22,the upper and lower ends of the guide 30 being ofiset being en aged withthe bolts under the heads thereof. insulating washers 32 are disposedbetween the ofiset ends 31 of the guide 30 and the ends of the plate 22,whereby the guide 30 as wellas the plate 22 is insulated from the casing7.

That upright edge of the plate 22 remote from the casing 7 is providedwith an angularly extending flange provided with a vertical orlongitudinal slot 3%, and the "lange 33 has an angularly' extending lip34 at its free edge. A pair of contact plates 35 fit slid-ably againstthe flange 33, and certain edges of the plates 35 project beyond theplate while the opposite edges of the contact plates 35 engage the lip rto pre: vent the plates 35 from rotating. Bolts 36 are engaged throughthe plates 35 and work within the slot 34, and nuts 37 are threaded uponthe bolts 36 for clamping the plates 35 in their adjusted positions. Awasher 38 is mounted upon one of the bolts 36 between the nut 37 and therespective plate 35, and the other terminal of the circuit 19is clampedbetween the washer 38 and the respective nut 37.

As a means for controlling the electrical circuit by the movement of thespindle or rod 1%, a collar 39 is mounted upon the spindle lswithin thecasing 7' and is adjustably clamped in place by means of a set screw allcarried by the collar and impinging against the spindle. A switch memberor finger i2 is threaded into the collar 31-) diametrically opposite theset screw 4:1 and works within one of the slots 8, while the set screw41 works within the other slot. The finger 42 projects between the plate22 and guide 30 so as to be guided for vertical movement, and the finger42 projects between the adjacent ends of the Contact plates 35. V Theadjacent corners of said contact plates are rounded, as at 35*, for theengage-V ment of the finger 4.2. The finger l2-is normally between andspaced from the plates 35, so as to open the electrical circuit,landwhen the spindle ii is moved to bring the finger 42 against one or theother of the plates 35, the electrical circuit is closed, cur

toward the plate 22 and 7 stat 6, so that the upward movement of the.

thermostat will raise the rod or spindle 1e, while the lowering of thethermostat permits the rod or spindle 14 to gravitate or move downwardlyof itself.

In use, the collar 39 is adjusted to the .proper position upon thespindle 14 by loosening the set screw 41 and when the collar is properlyadjusted, the set screw is tightened for holding the collar in place.The contact plates 35 are'also properly adjusted so that a predeterminedupward or downward movement of the finger 42 will result in the closingof the electrical circuit, it being noted that the plates 35 may be ad.justed to various distances apart. Normally, the finger d2 standsbetween the contact plates 35, so that the electrical circuit is broken.Should the temperature of the incubator rise or lower to a predeterminedabnormal or dangerous degree, the spindle 14 will be moved with thethermostat '6, and

this will bring the finger 4C2 againstgone or the other of the contactplates 35, resulting in the closing of the electrical circuit as aboveindicated. The hell or signal 21 will therefore be operated to give analarm. Should the temperature be restored to normal, the spindleor rod14 will be, moved to normal position so as to open the electrical Vcircuit, whereby the bell will stop ringing,

thus indicating to the operator or attendant that the abnormaltemperature has been rectiiied. .However, if the alarm is continued, theattendant will know that the abnormal temperature of the incubator hasnotbeen corrected by the usual temperature controlling means and theattendant may then look after the incubator to restore normalconditions. 2

The present device is comparatively simple and inexpensive inconstruction, and 7 may be installed upon various incubators for givinga warning "should the temperature rise or lower to a predetermined ordangerous degree.

Having-thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described,

a casing having means for attachment to an incubator and having alongitudinal slot,

a rod slidable within the casingand proj ecting from one end thereof,the projecting portion o'fthe rod having means for engage: ment wIth athermostat, an insulated plate attached to the casing and disposed atone side thereof, a pair of contact members adjustably carried by saidplate, and a switch member carried by said rod and projecting throughsaid slot between said contact members to move against them for closingan electrical circuit.

2-. In a device of the character described, a casing, a rod slidabletherethrough, an insulated plate carried by the casing and having anangularly extending flange provided with a longitudinal slot and anangularly extending lip, a pair of contact plates bearing against saidflange, certain edges of said contact plates projecting beyond saidplate and the opposite edges of the contact plates bearing against saidlip, bolts engaged through said contact plates and working in said slot,and a switch member carried by the rod and projecting between saidcontact plates to contact therewith.

S. In a device of the character described, a tubular casing having anaperture at one end and a longitudinal slot, an apertured cap threadedupon the other end of the casing, a rod slidable through the aperturesof the casing and cap, an adjustable collar carried by the rod withinthe casing, a contact finger carried by said collar and working in saidslot, a pair of arms having curved portions embracing the casingadjacent the ends of said slot, and an insulated plate carried by saidarms and having a pair of contacts between which said finger projects.

at. in a device of the character described, a tubular casing having anaperture at one end and a longitudinal slot, an apertured cap threadedupon the other end of the casing, a rod slidable through the apertures01" the casing and cap, an adjustable collar carried by the rod withinthe casing, a contact finger carried by said collar and working in saidslot, a pair of arms having curved portions embracing the casingadjacent the ends of said slot, an insulated plate having an angularlyextending flange provided with a slot, bolts engaged through said plateand arms, a guide parallel with the plate having ofiset ends engagingsaid bolts, a pair of contact plates bearing against the said flange,and bolts engaged through said contact plates and working in said slotof the flange, the contact finger projecting between said firstmentioned plate and guide and between the contact plates.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALVIA R. COX.

Witnesses:

W. A. ALEXANDER, JNO. H. JoNEs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

